


Tomorrow is worth the fight

by KaneNogami



Category: Kamen Rider Gaim
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Spoilers for the last episodes including 26
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 02:11:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1492888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaneNogami/pseuds/KaneNogami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stay by my side when I'm afraid. Hold my hand and erase my tears. That's what being friends is about, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tomorrow is worth the fight

They did not know if they were getting closer or if everyone else was drifting away. Neither answer would have been satisfying anyway. As his feet brushed against the ground, Peco wondered where their friends were. And, more importantly, if they were still supposed to care or not about that. Bored, he tapped his feet, stopping the swing momentarily in the process, his eyes drifting toward Mai. She had been hiding herself in the car for a while now, probably feeling safer while hugging the floating animals. It was not as if he could suddenly start a conversation. Before, he had heard her crying, muffling her sobs against her hands. Frankly, he wasn't much better himself. People had limits and they were past them. Dancing was supposed to be amusing, not to ruin their hearts again and again. Even if, this time, it was slightly different. Someone had to have done something to destroy the moment. Peco was not foolish enough to believe otherwise. Yet, it made little sense. Why would anyone who had the same power as their friends destroy their dreams? Ah, perhaps it was that man again, the pâtisser who did nothing but causing them trouble. Whatever. They couldn't erase what had been done. Trusting the swing to be resistant enough, he dragged his knees against his chest, letting a loud sigh escape him. The situation was so unfair. No one cared about them failing repeatedly. Even Zack had better to do now. Such thought was harsh but Peco was fed up with being kind. It didn't work. He had obtained more by imitating people who pretended to be on top of the world. Perhaps they could do that. Win their stage and confidence back by ignoring everyone else. It was great to get such ideas and yet, they had no chance of succeeding. No one would even let them try. Without any warning, the young man got on his feet, almost tangling himself in the swing as he did so. 

“Come on...” Crossing his arms on top of the car's window, he offered a tired glance at his friend, who raised her head slowly. Her eyes were red, probably from the tears she had shed, and his anger died as he saw that. Without thinking, he forced himself to smile, certain that the expression came out as twisted and pitiful. Some days, comforting each other was a long and difficult task. What was the point? Their friendship was based only on their mutual love for dancing and tendency to be pushed away by the ones they cared the most about. They could have done better. They deserved a greater destiny. Although Peco was not convinced than getting a driver and getting killed for something he did not understand was something he craved for.

“You can't spend the whole night like this. Everyone went home already. Come on...” He repeated the last words a couple of times, urging her to move, to do something before they would both get stuck in this situation, crushed by regrets and anguish. There was always more to Mai, details that himself did not deserve to obtain, tiny pieces which slowly damaged her. Secrets were more dangerous than an Inves's claws. Peco opened the door too roughly, not treating the old car with any respect. It would not cry anyway. Unlike his friend. He extended his hand toward her, palm opened, as to show there was no danger, no hidden meaning behind his gesture. They had grown careful with everyone lately. At first, he obtained no answer, as she stared, her lower lip trembling as she was forcing her mind to calm down enough to respond. Then, tentatively, she observed his hand, unsure of what to do with it. He could have insisted, he should have let her hear how his voice was trembling and his eyes burning. Yet, he did not, simply allowing her more time.

Have it been anyone else, her strong, and sudden, grip on his fingers would have been a shock. But it was Mai. She was a fighter, with her voice and feet. And she would not give up, no matter how her world got turned upside down by the ones she had made the mistake (he was getting too harsh again) of calling her friends. Perhaps he should have released her hand once she was out of the car. She made no move to let go either though, so it was fine, he guessed. Getting away from the garage was a relief. And the night's cold air hit their faces just hard enough to force any tears to remain hidden. It was around one in the morning and they had no place to go to. Nowhere to find shelter. Their families had no idea they were not in their beds. Maybe they had their doubts but they made no effort to come in their rooms to check. Adults were despicable.

“Why are we even trying anymore?” He was startled by how loud his voice was. That day had been so meaningless. Last time they had tried to reclaim their name, it had been less of a disaster. 

“What else can we do except that?” The reply was immediate. Mai was covering her eyes with her free hand as they walked, not even checking where they were going. 

The member of Baron was unsure of what he could have replied to such words. It's probably why he decided to switch the subject.

“Perhaps we should quit dancing... My parents claim it's a waste of time anyway.” Her grip tightened around his hand hard enough for him to wince and try to free his bruised fingers. Mai had no attention of let go however. Her body moved in front of his own and, ashamed of what he had told her, the boy let his gaze drift toward the ground. “You know it's complica—”

“You will not quit! Have we done all of that for you to give up now? First, I learn about Yuuya, then everything— You can't leave too...” Not managing to finish her sentence, Mai turned around, almost making him lose his balance. He was clumsy that night, he realized. Probably because of the emotions messing with his head.

“Yuuya? You mean your old leader?” Who was the actual boss of Gaim by the way? Peco would have claimed it was the young woman in front of him. After all, she was the only one who was so invested in her team. At least, it was his point of view. “What happened to him?”

The question was not meant to be asked. He understood it too late, when she stopped the contact between them by letting go of his hands. As Peco took a step forward, she took two back. Having answers but not being able to share them was probably rough. Not that he could have any idea of that, since no one judged remotely useful to tell him anything. Which could have explained why he kept coming closer, forcing her to walk backward until her back was pressed against the railway between her and the water. It was not fair. They were friends, weren't they? Real friends, not like the ones who kept pushing them away or who had learnt to fight without them and made them feel useless and not needed. Tightening his lips, the boy raised his hands, grabbing her shoulders without caring much about the damage he could cause. After all, his fingers still hurt him from when she had squeezed his hand too tightly.

“I want to know! It's not fair, you can't keep secrets from me too. Tell me!” He had expected her to push him away or to shook his head, not accepting to vomit the horror of what their reality was made of. Instead, she put her hands above his, taking a deep breath before admitting the truth.

“He turned into an Inves.” She omitted the part about Kouta having ended his life on purpose, not wishing to cause more damage. “It's what happens when you eat the fruits from the forest.” Mai was glad she was holding his hands as she felt the grasp of the shoulders loosening. Carefully, she observed the emotions flashing on the boy's face. From rage to pain, but mostly fear. 

“Yuuya... Yuuya died?!” At least, he had managed to come to this conclusion by himself somehow. It was more simple like this. And yet, it meant he had lost his capacity to have hope, to expect anything to end up well. “I remember him! He was not a bad guy. I—”

“Do you still think people can remain alive by being nice?” A sob passed her lips before she was able to stop herself as she cut him off.

“Of course not!” Suddenly, he hit his forehead against Mai's, emitting a painful sound as a wave of shock went through both of them. He needed the contact, to make sure it was not a nightmare, that he was not alone in the dark night. “Then... This Raid Wild guy who disappeared is probably...” He had closed his eyes while voicing this thought, not wishing to confirm that reality by looking at her. “We're so fucked up Mai. We're all going to—”

Ignoring her own tears, the teenager brushed her fingers against her friend's cheeks, slowly, in a smoothing manner. They were not meant to face these things, not when neither of them was an adult yet. “Don't finish this sentence, okay? Because you are wrong. We are fine. Okay? Look at me. Please, Peco.”

“What's the point? Zack does not even need me any longer!” What had that to do with the rest? The dancer had no idea. The words had escaped his lips before he could stop himself. They would not manage to be fine though. He was convinced of that and, when he eventually accepted to look at her again, tears started to run on his face. Damn it.

“What are you saying, idiot?! You are his team mate.”

“I can't fight like he does. I'm useless. I can't protect anyone like Kouta or him!” For a second, as anger flashed on her face, he expected her to slap him as she had done earlier that day. Her reaction was quite different though. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him as tightly as she could. On another day, the gesture would have been awkward. Here, it was oddly calming. 

“You don't need an armor to fight. Kaito told me that, to him, strength could mean managing to do what you wish to even during the darkest times.” She hoped the mention of his ex-leader would help the boy to get a better grasp on the situation. “What we have, our weapon, is dancing. And even if the world were to end, you would still dance, wouldn't you?”

“Would you?”

“I'd try. Until the last second. To prove that I can still believe in something. You did not answer my question.” 

His fingers were trembling as he grabbed the back of her shirt. Would he be able to stand his ground? Mai was as courageous as a heroine. He was not that confident. 

“What if I'm too afraid to do that?” The question was genuine and he felt ashamed for showing so much of his doubt to her, especially considering her situation was worse than his own. He got no harsh reply though. One of her hands rubbed his back, tracing small cycles against his jacket. 

“I'd come to find you so we can dance together. How does it sound?”

“You would?”

“Yes. We are friends, after all.” 

“Okay. Let's do that. And... If you are the one who is scared, I'll look for you.” While he doubted it would happen, Peco wished to show he could offer something in exchange. Slowly, they moved away from each other. Their faces had been painted by the tears and the exhaustion but, as they managed to awkwardly smile, it was forgotten. Their future was far from being bright. Still, it would not stop them from trying to male something out of it. 

“Wanna go to one of the stages and dance?” He whispered that as if it was a secret, an idea far from being clever. Instead of scolding him, Mai nodded, forcing herself to be cheerful. They would be no one to stop them. And her player pass was always in her pocket anyway. No one was walking in the streets at such hour and, as they ran, holding hands once again, being normal teenagers seemed easy. Maybe it was nothing more than an illusion but they couldn't have cared less. 

“Let's create another routine. Something brand new no one has seen before.”

“Yeah! We should combine our styles. Baron's charisma and Gaim's... Cool vibe?”

“Hey, you hesitated! What were you going to say?”

“Ah, I don't know. Gaim's not-so-bad style?” He winked, before starting to run again, dragging her along. “Just kidding!”

“Peco!”


End file.
